University of New Hampshire junior Olivia Rotondo died over the weekend while attending a music festival in New York. Her death and that of a Plymouth State University student is being blamed on the drug, also known as ecstasy or MDMA.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said there has been an increase in the amount of Molly it is seizing. Special Agent Anthony Pettigrew said the drug is often manufactured in bathtubs, and there's no way users can know for sure what they’re taking.

"They call it the love drug or the hug drug," Pettigrew said.

But Pettigrew said the drug has a dark side. On Saturday, Rotondo became the second person with New Hampshire ties in a week to die after taking the drug, according to investigators.

Pettigrew said Molly is ecstasy.

"Molly is purported to be a purer version of that, and it's generally sold in powder in a capsule," he said.

Because it is supposedly purer, Pettigrew said people tend to think it's safer, and dealers take advantage of that.

Learn facts about MDMA, also known as ecstasy or Molly

Learn facts about MDMA, also known as ecstasy or Molly

Two local college students have died recently, possibly in part due to the use of MDMA. Click through to learn more about the drug and its effects.

"Ecstasy" and "Molly" are slang terms for MDMA, which is short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine.

MDMA is often referred to as a "club drug." The drug often makes the user feel like everyone is his or her friend, even if that's not true.

MDMA is man-made, and its makers can add anything they want to the drug. As a result, its purity is always in question.

Along with "ecstasy" and "Molly," there are many other slang words for MDMA: “E,” “XTC,” “X,” “Adam,” “hug,” “beans,” “clarity,” “lover's speed” and “love drug."

Most people who abuse MDMA take it in the form of a pill, tablet or capsule. The pills can be different colors and sometimes have images on them.

From 2001 to 2012, the percentage of teens who have ever tried MDMA dropped from 5.2 to 2.0 percent among 8th graders, from 8.0 to 5.0 percent among 10th graders and from 11.7 to 7.2 percent among 12th graders, according to the DEA.

Like other drugs, MDMA can be addictive for some people.

For most people, a hit of MDMA lasts for 3-6 hours, with the peak intensity of the drug's "high" coming 45 minutes after use. It takes only 15 minutes for MDMA to enter the bloodstream and reach the brain.

Some side effects of MDMA use include muscle tension, nausea, feelings of sadness, anxiety, depression, memory difficulties, forceful clenching of the teeth, blurred vision and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Specifically, MDMA may affect neurons that use serotonin to communicate with other neurons. This can affect a person's mood, aggression, sexual activity, sleep and sensitivity to pain.

Even if a person takes only one pill, the side effects of MDMA can last for several days to a week (or even longer in people who use MDMA regularly).

People who use MDMA can become dehydrated and overheated through vigorous activity in a hot environment, like a club. Users can suffer from hyperthermia, which can lead to serious heart and kidney problems, or even death.